When it comes to building a rock-solid upper body, your mind probably goes to push-ups, but according to a sports scientist, that’s not the best use of your gym time. Pak Androulakis-Korakakis (who goes by Dr Pak), a sports scientist, researcher, and coach who specializes in the science of strength training, says you only need two exercises to build your upper body. Read on to find out more.
As a reminder, if you’re currently working out with an injury, you’re a complete beginner, or you’re pregnant or postpartum, these might not be the best exercises for you. Always check in with a qualified professional before trying something new.
What are the exercises?
“These two exercises are like the squat and deadlift for your upper body,” says Dr. Pak, but unlike squats and deadlifts, you don’t need tons of equipment — you can do both efficiently using just your body weight.
The two exercises he rates to build a strong upper body with zero equipment are chin-ups and dips. Here’s how to do both:
Chin-ups
The main difference between a chin-up and a pull up is your grip. For a chin-up, you’ll have a supinated grip — this means your palms will be facing you. Because of this grip, your biceps will have to work harder than they would during a traditional pull-up or dumbbell curl. You’ll also be hitting the muscles in your lats and upper back, as well as your core.
Here’s how to do a chin-up:
- Grab the bar with an underhand grip, with your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Keep your body in a straight line with your core engaged, and pull yourself up until your chin is above the bar.
- Hold this position for a moment, then lower back to the starting position.
If you struggle to do a chin-up, use a long resistance band, loop it around the bar, then place your knees into the band to help pull yourself up.
Dips
A dip forces you to push your entire bodyweight vertically up and down on parallel bars. If you lean your bodyweight slightly forward, you’ll be recruiting your pecs, making these super effective if you don't want to do a standard bench press for your chest. You’ll also be working your triceps and shoulders.
Dr. Pak recommends going as low as you can comfortably go at the bottom of the movement, keeping your elbows close to your body, and your torso leaning slightly forward.
Here’s how to do dips:
- Raise yourself onto two dip bars with straight arms
- Lower your body down to the ground, bending at the elbow. If you can, keep going until your shoulders are lower than your elbows.
- Push into the bar and lift your body until you’re back in your starting position, with your arms straight.
How to turn these into a workout
Dr. Pak recommends doing these two exercises, followed by a few sets of lateral raises to work your entire upper body. If you’re working out at home, check out the best adjustable dumbbells here.
A superset in strength training means doing two exercises back-to-back with minimal or no rest in between. During supersets, you’ll normally target opposing muscle groups; for example, here, you’re working your chest, followed by your back. Supersets are a great way to train if you’re short on time.
Here’s Dr. Pak’s upper-body superset:
- Do a set of chin-ups to failure
- Rest for 10-20 seconds
- Do a set of dips to failure
- Rest for a couple of minutes
- Repeat four times, twice a week
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